Page 32 of Forever His This Christmas

“She didn’t tell you who did she?” Lisa asked running a hand through her hair to stop from curling up into a little ball to hide.

“No, she just said it was someone you should have been able to trust. I don’t need to know anything else. It’s not my business, I just…”

“Feel strongly about father’s rights, I get it,” she said turning her face away from him.

“I didn’t know about Jazz until she was two.”

“What?” she asked in surprise. “You said her mom was your high school girlfriend…”

“And she was—but she didn’t tell me she was pregnant before I left for school, and she also left town soon after. Like your hometown, no one knew, not until I got a knock on the door my junior year of college and a woman from social services wasstanding there with a request for a DNA sample. It took me six months to get full custody of Jazz because I wasn’t listed on her birth certificate and hearing your story…”

“Made you relive it—honestly it doesn’t matter anymore. The only thing that matters is Abby and I’m just saying a ton of thank yous right now that she’s going to be okay.”

“She is?” he asked, the worry on his face calming her more.

“Yeah, the doctor said he doesn’t see why she won’t fully recover. A broken leg, some cuts and bruises, the spot on her head is slightly inflamed but that’s all they found…and I’m so grateful for it.”

“I am too. Abby is an incredible kid. It’s scary how strong she is considering she’s only thirteen, but I can tell she gets it from her mother. She adores you and will go up against anyone who talks down about you.”

“She’s my world, even when she was across the country from me, she was still my world,” she said, thankful she was here in town with her, not on the other side of the country from her.

“When she was across the country from you to keep her safe?” David said shocking her. “Abby mentioned that you were threatened—someone was following you and you left to keep them from finding out about her.”

“Abby talks too much sometimes, but yes, I did.”

“She also said you ended a relationship that meant a lot to you because you were worried things would come out if she stayed with you.”

“She’s blaming herself, but she shouldn’t. The relationship was over already, I just wasn’t ready to admit it,” she lied, not about to get into that, not with him, not with anyone again.

“Really? I don’t think it’s true; I think it’s why you don’t see any of the men who give you second and third looks. I think Abby’s right and that you’re still hung up on this person or onwhat happened to you, and you’ve never moved past being the scared fifteen/sixteen-year-old girl you were.”

“Well, I’m not that girl anymore.”

“Is that why you’ve kept Abby quiet still?”

“I’ve kept her quiet, so she stays safe,” she said, needing him to understand that Abby’s safety was the most important thing to her, the reason why she didn’t tell the others about her, beyond the disappointment she knew they’d face. She’d never let anything harm her baby—not ever again. “The person who fathered her nearly killed me when I went home before I moved to New York. I refuse to put my daughter at risk simply so everyone can understand me, understand why I’ve done the things I have, including breaking up with Corey.”

“Corey—the person your daughter thinks you’re in love with?”

“I’m not in love with him; I’ve never been in love with him. It was just a stupid relationship that went on too long.”

“It’s not Lisa, not in your eyes and not in your daughter’s. Why not tell him about Abby and see if you all can’t move on together?” he asked, and she wished she could, wished more than anything that he was here with her right now. That Corey was holding her while she said thanks to god that her daughter was still here with her.

“Because if I told him about Abby, he’d demand to know the whole truth, who her genetic donor is, and he’d know if I was lying to him. Once he knew, he’d go back to Colorado and likely kill the bastard and if he wasn’t quick enough then he’d know about Abby, and we’d never be safe.”

“Surely if you told the truth he’d be in jail…”

“Statute of limitations is up; it wouldn’t matter anymore.”

“But with Abby isn’t there an exception or something?” he asked unsure of the laws.

She looked away not wanting the truth to come out more than it already had.

“Lisa…is there an exception because of Abby?”

“There was a rule that cancelled out the statute of limitations if there’s DNA evidence of the assault, but it has to be reported in ten years.”

“And it wasn’t I take it,” David said meeting her gaze.

---